


Love In An Elevator

by velvetjinx



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkwardness, Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, First Kiss, M/M, Shy Bucky Barnes, Steve Bucky exchange 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-01 18:37:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12710619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velvetjinx/pseuds/velvetjinx
Summary: Steve's neighbor is kind of weird, but also smoking hot. If Steve could just get his neighbor to talk to him instead of running away then maybe they could be something. When fate throws them together, can Steve take the chance he's been given?





	Love In An Elevator

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lasenby_Heathcote](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lasenby_Heathcote/gifts).



> Loved writing this, so I hope you enjoy reading it!

Steve’s neighbor was kind of weird. 

Not in a bad or creepy way, but every time he saw Steve he'd squeak and walk quickly past him, avoiding his eyes. Steve had to wonder whether it was the whole “Captain America” thing that made him nervous, and was kinda sad about it if that was the case. He didn't want to intimidate people who weren't bad guys. 

Because of this, he'd barely said two words to his neighbor. Which was kind of a shame, because his neighbor was really attractive. Shoulder length brown hair that looked like it would be soft to touch; gorgeous blue-grey eyes framed by dark lashes; cheekbones and jawline sharp enough that Steve could almost imagine he'd cut himself if he touched; a small amount of stubble around that amazing jaw; full, plump lips that Steve couldn't help but imagine kissing, or being wrapped around his cock… 

Yeah, so maybe Steve had it pretty bad. 

He'd just got back off a long mission and was looking forward to a decent night’s sleep in his own bed. So obviously the fire alarm had to go off at fucking three a.m.

He grabbed his keys and slipped on his sneakers before heading out to the assembly point at the front of the building. There were several people around from the block, in various states of undress, including Steve's neighbor. 

Steve's neighbor, whose muscled arms bulged under his thin t-shirt, and whose legs beneath his shorts were those of someone who worked out, or ran a lot. 

Steve swallowed, and was about to approach him when one of his other neighbors, Janice, cornered him. “Steve! Do you know what's going on?”

“I'm afraid not,” he replied with a laugh. “It wasn't me!”

“Nor me. Probably someone coming in drunk and trying to cook.”

“Probably,” Steve agreed, noticing out the corner of his eye that his hot neighbor looked to be eavesdropping on their conversation, and he hid a smile. 

Eventually they were given the all clear to go back inside. As Janice had said, someone had come in drunk, tried to cook and set off their smoke alarm. As they all trooped back in, Steve found himself walking next to his hot neighbor. 

“That was a fun adventure for the middle of the night, huh?” Steve said. His neighbor looked at him, wide eyed, before nodding and taking off for the elevator, leaving Steve looking after him in confusion. 

***

A few days later, Steve was in the elevator, doors getting ready to close, when he heard someone shout, “Hold the elevator!” He pressed the button to keep the doors open as his hot neighbor jogged in. The neighbor looked at him and squeaked again, then turned his back on Steve to face the closing doors. Steve frowned. Maybe his neighbor just didn't like him for some reason. 

They were halfway up when the elevator suddenly juddered to a halt between floors. Steve's eyes widened and he pressed the button for their floor again. But the elevator stayed still. 

Sighing, he pressed the call button. A women answered, and he gave her the details of the apartment block, telling her that two people were stuck. 

“We'll get some engineers out as soon as we can,” she told him, “but I'm afraid it might take a few hours.”

Steve sighed again. “Okay. Thank you.”

“You're welcome!” The elevator fell silent, and Steve looked curiously at his neighbor. The neighbor still had his back to Steve, but was occasionally glancing surreptitiously over his shoulder at him. 

Steve shook his head. “I, uh. I don't bite?”

His neighbor whirled around, eyes wide. “Um. Okay?”

“I'm Steve,” he said, holding out his hand. His neighbor stared at it for a moment, before hesitantly shaking it. 

“I know! I mean. Uh, I'm Bucky.”

Steve smiled widely at him. “Hey, Bucky. It's nice to meet you.” He glanced at the panel, then back at Bucky. “So since we're gonna be stuck in here for a while together, we might as well get to know each other, right? I mean, we've lived next to each other for a while now but I don't know anything about you.”

Bucky looked startled, and shrugged. “Not really much to tell. Brooklyn born and raised, currently working as a lecturer in theoretical physics at NYU.”

“Wow,” Steve said, impressed. “You must be really smart!”

Bucky squirmed uncomfortably. “I guess. I've just always loved numbers, you know? And physics is just applied mathematics, after all.”

“That's really cool.” Steve looked at him searchingly. “So do you, like, not like me or something?”

Bucky's eyes widened. “What? Why would you… what makes you say that?”

“Well, this is the first time you've ever spoken to me for as long as we've lived next to each other. Usually you just avoid me, or run off when I try to talk to you. It kinda feels like the only reason you're talking to me right now is that we're trapped and you can't run away.”

Bucky looked uncomfortable. “No, I mean… I'm just really shy,” he finished in a whisper. “I'm not… good. With people. Especially not, like, Captain America people. 

Steve frowned. “You know the Captain America thing is just what they call me? I'm just a guy, you know?”

“A guy with super strength who fights bad guys for a living,” Bucky corrected him. 

“Yeah, okay, point, but aside from all that I'm kind of just a normal guy. Don't let the press fool you.”

“I did want to talk to you,” Bucky admitted softly. “But I didn't think you'd want someone bothering you during your down time.”

Steve smiled at him. “You have permission to bother me any time you want to.”

Over the next couple of hours, Steve found out more about Bucky and his family: his mom and dad, and his little sister Becca, who all still lived locally. “If you ever want to come with me to Sunday lunch in sure my mom would love to have you,” Bucky said, blushing, and Steve grinned. 

“I might just take you up on that.”

They were sitting together on the floor of the elevator, and Bucky looked up at Steve. Steve suddenly realized how close they were, and that if he just shifted slightly he could press their mouths together. The atmosphere around them changed to something almost electric as Steve began to lean in…

...When suddenly there was a knock at the door of the elevator. 

“Hello?” came a voice, and Steve sighed, standing. 

“Hello? We're in here!”

The doors were prised open, and an older man with a bushy beard looked down at them. “You okay in there, guys?” Steve and Bucky both nodded. “Well,” the guy continued, “we think we've found the fault and should have it fixed soon, so you two just hang tight!”

“Thanks,” Steve said tightly with a wan smile. That guy’s timing sucked. What if that had been his only chance?

Barely ten minutes later--which were passed in awkward silence, a far cry from the easy conversation from before--the elevator juddered and moved upwards to their floor. Steve reached his door and turned to Bucky. 

“So I, uh, guess I'll see you later?”

“Yeah,” Bucky said with a small smile, before turning to his own door and going inside, shutting it with an air of finality. 

Steve sighed. So much for that. 

***

Nearly a week passed, and Steve hadn't seen Bucky once. He was starting to think his neighbor was avoiding him, which sucked. 

As he arrived back on his floor after a day spent in various debriefings at the Avengers’ compound, he came across Bucky, kicking at his door and cursing a blue streak as he looked through his pockets. 

“Uh, Bucky?” Steve said tentatively, and Bucky whirled round, his mouth a perfect “o”. 

“Steve! Uh, hi!”

“You okay there?”

Bucky shrugged. “Not really. I forgot my keys and now I'm locked out.”

“I've done that,” Steve said, smiling. “Come on. Come into mine, call a locksmith, and I'll make us some coffee.”

Bucky hesitated. “You're sure?”

“Of course. There's no point in you waiting out in the hallway for as long as they're gonna take to get here. Might at least be comfortable.”

Bucky frowned thoughtfully, then nodded, and Steve opened the door to let him inside. 

“Have a seat,” Steve said, gesturing towards the sofa, and Bucky sat down awkwardly. “How do you take your coffee?”

“Uh, black, three sugars.”

“Okay. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back.”

Steve went into the kitchen and took a deep breath. He could do this. He busied himself making the coffee, then took both mugs of steaming liquid through to the living room. He handed Bucky's to him, blushing a little when their fingers brushed. 

They sat in silence for a few moments, then Steve cleared his throat. 

“So, uh. You haven't been avoiding me, have you?”

Bucky's eyes widened. “What? No, why would you think that?”

Steve shrugged. “I haven't seen you for like a week.”

“No, I mean, I've been so busy. It's coming up to the end of the semester and there are exams to mark and like a million essays to read…”

“Oh.” Steve squirmed slightly. “I thought maybe I made you uncomfortable. You know. In the elevator.”

Bucky looked down at his coffee, avoiding Steve's gaze. “You didn't.”

Suddenly filled with hope, Steve set his mug down on the coffee table. “Really?”

Bucky looked up at him, and Steve could see the nerves in his gaze. He shifted over beside him, and cupped Bucky's face in his palm. 

“May I kiss you?” he asked softly, and Bucky nodded. Steve pressed their lips together gently, moaning when Bucky opened up to him. The kiss deepened, and Steve thought his heart was going to burst right through his chest. “Wow,” he said at length, pulling back. “I really didn't think you'd let me do that.”

“Are you kidding?” Bucky said incredulously. “I really like you, Steve. Why do you think I always ran away when I saw you? I just thought you were, you know.” He blushed. “Really, really far out of my league.”

“No way,” Steve said, frowning. “Have you seen yourself? You're gorgeous. And even if you weren't, you're smart, and funny, and a really nice guy.”

Bucky blushed. “Thanks?”

“So, uh. Can I take you to dinner some time? Maybe?” 

“I’d like that,” Bucky replied, smiling. 

“Can I kiss you again?”

“I'd like that too.”

He set his cup down beside Steve's and they leaned in, kissing each other until the doorbell went. 

“That'll be the locksmith,” Bucky murmured against Steve's lips. “But, uh. Let me know about dinner?”

“Count on it,” Steve said with a grin. He watched Bucky leave, and smiled to himself. He had a date with the hottest guy he'd ever seen, and he couldn't wait. Life couldn't get any better.


End file.
